Talking-machine.



PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1905.

R. A. ANTHONY. TALKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 20, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD A. ANTHONY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO AMELIA V. V. ANTHONY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND ONE-HALF TO ALBERT R. LEDOUX, OF CORNWALL-ON-THE-HUDSON, NEW YORK.

TALKING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1905.

- Application filed October 20, 1904. Serial No. 229,218.

To ctZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD A. ANTHONY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Phonographs, Gramophones, and Similar Machines or Apparatus Known Generally as Talking-Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates an elevation, partly in vertical section, of the invention. Fig. 2 illustrates an elevation of that which is shown in Fig. 1 seen from the right. Fig. 3 illustrates a detail of construction. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate vertical sectional views of modified constructions.

In machines ofthe class stated the horns as heretofore made have been of a graduallytapering contour having a bell-shaped mouth somewhat resembling the body part and bell of an ordinary cornet. Tone-waves or atmosphericvibrations in theirpassage through a horn so shaped are by their impingement against the conical sides of the interior de flected from side to side of the horn at angles other than those which would project them in parallel lines straight from its mouth, with the result that the tone-waves or atmospheric vibrations to a greater or less extent, at least, cross one another, thus interfering with and tending to break up the uniform rythmic motion of the pulsations. Thus the sound or tone when it reaches the ear of an auditor is more orless confused or pulsatory. This effect in a talking-machine is objectionable, because there words, intonations, accents, and

,verbal peculiarities or individualities should be not only audible, but clearly distinguishable, and the crossing of the vibrations above alluded to tends to break up and confuse the vibrations, so that the quality of the tone produced is partially and in some cases wholly destroyed, and the spoken words are frequently not distinguishable nor the voice or tone of the person speaking recognizable. Under my invention I materially alter the shape or contour of the horn, giving to it the general shape of a parabola, and I locate the diaphragm or toneproducing device of the instrument in or near what is called the focus of the parabola, so that the tone waves projected by it impinging upon the interior walls of the parabola are deflected thereby at such angles that they pass in parallel lines directly forward out from the mouth of the horn.

Referring now to the mechanical construction of the invention, I illustrate the essential parts only. The details may be arranged in a great variety of forms. Indeed those shown by me are examples only of many ways in which the apparatus may be constructed. I therefore do not limit myself in any particular so far as details of construction are concerned.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A represents the horn of the parabolic form described. B is the diaphragm, which may be supported by a frame B, which in turn ,may be supported in any suitable manneras, for example, by tightly-stretched fine wires C C, which are soldered or otherwise attached to the interior of the horn D is the diaphragmneedle. E is an arm supported by the horn, as shown, provided with a sleeve F for a purpose hereinafter described, through which' the needle passes and in which it moves. G is the, turn-table or disk or in a cylinder machine the cylinder. His a box or casing containing the motor. I is a spindle having a worm J cut thereon, and K is a stud or nut attached to the horn, which has a wormthread cut in it to engage with the worm J. L L are the supports for the horn. M is any suitable base for the entire apparatus. N N are two tracks or suitable surfaces resting upon the supports L L. O O are rollers, (there may be two on each side of the horn,) which rest lightly on the surfaces N N for the support of the horn, needle, and diaphragm.

I prefer to make the stud or nut K as shown in Fig. 3-that is to say, open at the bottom and having the worm-threads cut in its up per are only, so that when it is desired to run the horn back, as it is called, its front end may be lifted until the threads of the worm J and the nut K are separated, whereupon the horn and attached parts may be quickly moved to any desired position.

The operation is obvious. A suitable motor inclosed within the casing H rotates the turn-table G and at properly-regulated speed likewise turns the worm-shaft I upon its axis, so thatas the needle D makes its transit through the grooves, depressions, &c., on the face of the turn table the horn will likewise by corresponding movement be carried forwardly or rearwardly, as required.

In Fig. 4 I show a modified construction in which the diaphragm is supported on the end of a tube P, which is attached to the rear end of the horn. Under this construction all vibrations from the rear side of the diaphragm are cut off by the tube P and do not form part of the Volume of sound projected forwardly through the horn, those which arethrown off by the front side of the diaphragm only being projected outwardlytoward the audience.

In Fig. 5 I show still another modification, in which the rear end of the horn is removed, as shown. In other words, the parabola is truncated. The diaphragm in this construction is or may be supported by tightlystretched wires connected with the frame of the diaphragm and with the sides of the horn, as shown. In this construction the vibrations which are thrown off by the rear side of the diaphragm pass outwardly through the open space in rear thereof and are dissipated in the air and do not conflict with those that are thrown forwardly and projected from the mouth of the horn, as stated.

In small or light apparatus it will not always be necessary to employ the worm and coacting parts, because if the horn be pivoted, as usual in light apparatus, the impingement of the needle in the irregularities upon the face of the turn-table will afford sufficient power to automatically move the horn and attached parts, and to aid in this result I may provide the sleeve F with such appliances as will aid the needle in so doing.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In sound-projecting apparatus a horn having the interior contour of a parabola and a diaphragm or tone-producer immovably fixed at practically the focus thereof.

2. In sound-projecting apparatus a horn having the interior contour of a parabola, the

rear end of which is closed, and a diaphragm or tone-producer immovably fixed within the horn at practically the focus thereof.

3. In a sound-projecting apparatus a horn having the interior contour of a parabola, and a diaphragm immovably fixed at practically the focus thereof, and means whereby the horn and its attached parts may be positively moved relative to the turn-table or cylinder.

4. In sound-projecting apparatus a horn having the interior contour of a parabola, a diaphragm located at practically the focus of the parabola, and means to support the same, no part of which is in advance of the diaphragm.

5. In sound-projecting apparatus a horn having the interior contour of a parabola, a diaphragm located at practically the focus of the parabola, and means, such as fine wires, for fixedly supporting the diaphragm-frame within the horn.

6. In sound-projecting apparatus a horn, the interior surface whereof in advance of the diaphragm or focus has the contour or out line of a parabola and a diaphragm or toneproducer ocated at or near the said focus.

7. In sound-projecting apparatus a diaphragm or tone-producer located within the horn and means to prevent the vibrations from the rear side of the diaphragm entering the horn.

8. In sound-projecting apparatus a horn having the eneral interior outline or contour of a parabola, a diaphragm or tone-producer located at or near the focus thereof and a tubular support for the diaphragm which pre vents the vibrations projected by the rear side of the diaphragm from entering the horn.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD A. ANTHONY.

Witnesses:

PHILLIPS ABBOTT, F. M. DONSBACH. 

